Thursday, February 24, 2011

Seems there's so much muck out there these days. Complaining, striving to achieve useless goals, calling people pleasing something else just to make it look prettier, hatred, depression, whining, etc. Why? Is it maybe the weather? Doesn't seem so. Because it seems to be running across all lines..snow lovers to sun lovers..people who are single and loving it, to people who are married and hate it..and everything inbetween. Young to old. Republicans and Democrats..those with jobs and those without jobs. Those happy with the political climate and those who aren't. Those with religion and those without.

So, that pretty much leaves it at a heart issue, don't you think? If there's one thing we know, it's that misery loves company. And it won't give up until it finds some. And then that new misery needs to find another misery..kind of like a multi level marketing program. You're miserable? Great! Just find 3 more people like you, and then those 3 people find 3 more! It's great! Before you know it, you're whole social network will be operating in misery! Together we will conquer the world!

Gross.

Where'd the love go? Where'd the passion for life go? Where'd the faith go? Where'd the useful ambition go? Where did the sold out love of God go? Where'd the passion to love others above ourselves go? I'm just curious.

Seems that more and more I sit back and watch the people I love turn their focus inward. And not in a good way. It seems to be more of me, me, me and less of Him, Him, Him. Who we are means nothing if we don't have Him at the center. He said we must give up our lives in order to gain real life. But so many seem to be clinging on to a useless shell of a life, instead of giving it up and receiving the full life that has been offered. The full life is sitting there on the table, in a lovely leatherbound book. But we keep walking by it...and walking by it...and walking by it...and then wonder, why is my life falling apart? Why? Because we can't survive without living water. Not physically and certainly not spiritually.

The world is a beautiful mask covering up a festering wound. But if our spirit eyes aren't on, we can't see past the mask into what is real. We get so caught up in the sweet aroma of deceit that the stench of the festering wound beneath eludes us. Like a moth to the flame, burned by the fire, right? Mesmorized by death. Pinch yourself, wake up from the dream. Get your eyes back in focus. It's the enemy's job to steal, kill, and destroy. No one will willingly let that happen, so the enemy comes in as a sweet treat. And before you know it, you have been destroyed, the death IV firmly planted in your vein.

My goal is not to preach, condemn, hurt, confuse, or judge. My goal is more to just get my thoughts out on cyber paper. Because these struggles are ones I face as well. Everyone does, whether they admit to it or not. So, take the post for what it is. It's not a personal jab at you, whoever you are.

Turning towards Facebook...I don't feel like I can express many of my thoughts on Facebook, because everything gets twisted, fights start, debates go on for days. Facebook is a double edged sword. On one hand it's amazing b/c I wouldn't be able to communicate with so many of my friends were it not there. On the other hand it seems to be a killer. It's no longer a place where you can post what you feel and have it be taken as genuine. It now seems that it's assumed with every post that there is an underlying jab at someone/something. Why? Are we that wrapped up in ourselves that literally everything all of our 300 "closest friends" post could be aimed at us and/or our beliefs? I just don't think so. And it's certainly not the case in my posts should you ever wonder. If I want to aim something at you, I'll go ahead and post it on your page. If I post something on my page, it's 99.9% of the time because it's something I am dealing with. I just feel like sometimes FB is like a 3rd grade playground.

My heart breaks when I read much of the stuff that is Facebook. And I really think His does, too. I know that everything I say isn't perfect, nor will it ever be. I'm not perfect, not even close. I say some stuff that I wish I could hit delete not only on my page but in everyone's mind. We all have those days. I can't and won't claim to be any better than the next guy. But, I'm gonna be careful what I post on FB. I'm gonna think about what I say before I say it. I'm going to be slow to anger and quick to love. Those are my goals. Will I fail sometimes? Absolutely. But, I'm just telling you now, I am making an effort to achieve my goal. And I'm gonna keep making that effort until I get to another level of victory. I'm determined to figure out how to love even better than I do now. Because He loves me with an agape love, and asks me to show that same agape love to everyone else. If I have not love, I have nothing.

Anyway..I guess I just am worried. It seems we've realized we can't trust humans, but at the same time we've come to the conclusion that we can't trust God either. That we have to go ahead and do His job for him and lay out all of the judgements on our own. And that's so sad. He really doesn't need our help. He's got it all covered. He see's what's going on, He's not turning a blind eye. He won't be mocked. But let's not pretend that the life He chose for us is the life He chose for someone else. We do have a similarity in that the life He chose for us is one where we all follow His word, His truth, and His path. But we are all parts of a body, and all parts function differently. We need not try to live up to anyone elses calling, or judge their season in life. If we choose to simply stay focused on our path and His word, I believe we will begin to see a great change in the lives of those around us. Only when we can learn from our past and our sin can we help those around us who are struggling with the same things. If we've never been there, we can't identify. Our past/present struggles are a tool that can be used to bring others back to life. But, we have to submit to His authority in order to come out of it (sin) and become someone who can help to restore others.

We are what we eat. And what we eat is digested and then turned into fertilizer. That fertilizer is spread out all over our territory. So, what kind of fertilizer are we using? What kind of territory are we creating? Our choices in no way will ever EVER EVER only affect US. Our choices will always ALWAYS ALWAYS affect our entire territory. You can't turn on a hose full blast and expect only one drop of water to fall out. You are a life changer. The question is, how do you want to change the lives you affect. And is the change you're handing out one that lines up with the Word? Is it change that brings about life, or death? Don't leave your friends dying on life support when you could change your heart/fertilizer and bring them back to life.

Human nature is tricky. I won't pretend to understand it. I won't pretend to understand why we fight against peace, love, and joy. I know we live in a fallen world. I get it. I just don't understand why we fight for misery when we could surrender for joy. That's all.